Dwyer Claims Big 12 Championship

Norman, Okla. - Senior Stephen Dwyer (174) earned the first conference title of his storied Husker career, while senior Craig Brester (197) finished runner-up to lead the Nebraska wrestling team at the 2010 Big 12 Championship on Saturday in Norman, Okla. The Huskers finished the tournament with 32 points and have now automatically qualified four wrestlers for the 2010 NCAA Championships this March 18-20 at Qwest Center Omaha.

Dwyer is the 18th Big 12 champion in school history and the third consecutive NU conference titlist at the 174-pound weight class following back-to-back first-place finishes by former Husker All-American Brandon Browne.

Oklahoma State edged Iowa State for the team title by 1 1/2 points (70.5-69), followed by Oklahoma (64), Missouri (33) and Nebraska (32).

The third time was the charm for Dwyer, who was coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes at the 2008 and 2009 Big 12 Championships. As a senior, Dwyer did not waste any time claiming top honors at 174 pounds, racing to a 4-1 first period lead on Oklahoma State's Mike Benefiel in the finals en route to a 9-5 decision. Dwyer notched his first takedown just 32 seconds into the match and accumulated nearly 2 minutes of riding time following his second takedown with 56 seconds remaining in the first period. Benefiel closed the gap to 5-4 with 1:26 left in the match, but Dwyer closed the door with his last takedown in the final minute. A native of Rockton, Ill., Dwyer won his semifinal match in a defensive 2-1 decision against Iowa State's Duke Burk.

"It feels really good," Dywer said. "I was always coming close (to first), but had that one match that kept it from happening. There's a big difference between winning and taking second. I just came out and wrestled hard right away. I wanted to establish my tempo and set a high pace."

Brester battled top-seeded Jake Varner of Iowa State in the 197-pound finals, falling to the Cyclone by a 5-2 decision. The unanimous No. 1 and No. 2 wrestlers in the nation entered the final period in a 2-2 deadlock, but with Varner's riding time advantage of more than 1 minute, Brester was forced to cut the Cyclone for an escape point. Trailing 3-2, Brester shot for a last-second single-leg takedown that Varner spun around for the match's final points.

Earlier in the day, Nebraska won 4-of-8 first round matches to qualify six wrestlers for semifinals, as Brester and Dwyer earned first round byes.

From there, a pair of underclassmen - redshirt freshman Josh Ihnen (184) and sophomore Tucker Lane - each claimed third-place finishes in corresponding fashion by defeating the same opponent twice and only falling to the No. 1 seed in their respective weight classes.

Ihnen qualified for the 2010 NCAA Championships with his third-place finish at 184 pounds, despite entering the Big 12 tournament as the fourth seed. The Sheldon, Iowa native downed Oklahoma's Erich Schmidtke for the second and third time this season, defeating the Sooner by decision in the first round (8-3) and consolation final (4-0). The only hindrance between Ihnen and the championship round was No. 1 seed Max Askren of Missouri, who escaped with a 2-1 victory over Ihnen in the semifinals.

Following a third-place finish at the 2009 conference meet, Lane repeated his performance against a stacked Heavyweight field with a pair of wins over Oklahoma's Nathan Fernandez. Lane has never lost to Fernandez in his short Husker career (6-0), although he needed an overtime takedown to tally his first victory of the day before an identical 3-1 decision over Fernandez in the consolation final. A native of Redvale, Colo., Lane fell by a 5-3 decision in the semifinals to first-seeded Jared Rosholt of Oklahoma State.

Lane had already qualified for the 2010 NCAA Championships, as the Heavyweight division was one of three weight classes (also 174 and 197) to earn five allocations in those bouts. A total of four Huskers have automatically qualified for nationals (Brester, Dwyer, Lane and Ihnen), while freshman David Klingsheim (125) and junior Mike Koehnlein (141) will wait until next Wednesday to learn if they have received an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. Brester, Dwyer and Lane are all return qualifiers to the NCAA tournament.

Klingsheim joined redshirt freshman Tyler Koehn (157) as Nebraska's fourth-place finishers. Both youngsters won first-round matches to advance to the semifinals before dropping the next two.

Nebraska will now continue it's postseason at the 2010 NCAA Championships, which the University of Nebraska co-hosts at Qwest Center Omaha from March 18-20. This spring will mark the fifth time the University of Nebraska has hosted an NCAA Championship at the Qwest Center since it opened in 2003. Follow Huskers.com for further information over the next two weeks.

2010 Big 12 Championship
March 6, 2010
Norman, Okla.

Final Team Standings
1. Oklahoma State-70.5
2. Iowa State-69
3. Oklahoma-64
4. Missouri-33
5. Nebraska-32

Nebraska Results
125 Pounds
First Round: #4 David Klingsheim (NU) wins by decision vs. #5 Eric Wilson (MU), 4-2
Semifinal: #1 Andrew Long (ISU) wins by fall over #4 David Klingsheim (NU), 4:36
Consolation Final: #3 Chris Notte (OSU) wins by decision over #4 David Klingsheim (NU), 6-4
David Klingsheim finishes fourth

133 Pounds
First Round: #5 Nathan McCormick (MU) wins by decision over #4 C.J. Napier (NU), 3-1 (OT)
Consolation Semifinal: #3 Kendric Maple (OU) wins by decision over #4 C.J. Napier (NU), 4-2
C.J. Napier finishes fifth

141 Pounds
First Round: #5 Dalton Jensen (ISU) wins by major decision over #4 Mike Koehnlein (NU), 11-2
Consolation Semifinal: #3 Todd Schavrien (MU) wins by decision over #4 Mike Koehnlein (NU), 14-6
Mike Koehnlein finishes fifth

149 Pounds
First Round: #4 Nicholas Hucke (MU) wins by fall over #5 Dustin Payne (NU), 4:27
Consolation Semifinal: #3 Luke Silver (OSU) wins by fall over #5 Dustin Payne (NU), 1:00
Dustin Payne finishes fifth

157 Pounds
First Round: #5 Tyler Koehn (NU) wins by major decision over #4 Patrick Wright (MU), 11-2
Semifinals: #1 Shane Vernon (OU) wins by decision over #5 Tyler Koehn (NU), 4-1
Consolation Final: #2 Andrew Sorenson (ISU) wins by decision over #5 Tyler Koehn (NU), 2-1
Tyler Koehn finishes fourth

165 Pounds
First Round: #4 Tyler Caldwell (OU) wins by decision over #5 James Nakashima (NU), 5-0
Consolation Semifinal: #3 Alex Meade (OSU) wins by decision over #5 James Nakashima (NU), 11-4
James Nakashima finishes fifth

174 Pounds
Semifinal: #1 Stephen Dwyer (NU) wins by decision over #4 Duke Burk (ISU), 2-1
Final: #1 Stephen Dwyer (NU) wins by decision over #2 Mike Benefiel (OSU), 9-5
Stephen Dywer finishes first

184 Pounds
First Round: #4 Josh Ihnen (NU) wins by decision over #5 Erich Schmidtke (OU), 8-3
Semifinal: #1 Max Askren (MU) wins by decision over #4 Josh Ihnen (NU), 2-1
Consolation Final: #4 Josh Ihnen (NU) wins by decision over #5 Erich Schmidtke (OU), 4-0
Josh Ihnen finishes third

197 Pounds
Semifinal: #2 Craig Brester (NU) wins by decision over #3 Eric Lapotsky (OU), 6-1
Final: #1 Jake Varner (ISU) wins by decision over #2 Craig Brester (NU), 5-2
Craig Brester finishes second

Heavyweight
First Round: #4 Tucker Lane (NU) wins by decision over #5 Nathan Fernandez (OU), 3-1 (OT)
Semifinal: #1 Jared Rosholt (OSU) wins by decision over #4 Tucker Lane (NU), 5-3
Consolation Final: #4 Tucker Lane (NU) wins by decision over #5 Nathan Fernandez (OU), 3-1
Tucker Lane finishes third

Nebraska Play-by-Play
125 Pounds
First Round: #4 David Klingsheim (NU) wins by decision vs. #5 Eric Wilson (MU), 4-2
First Period: Klingsheim takedown 1:40 (2-0); Advantage time Klingsheim 1:40
Second Period: Wilson starts down; Advantage time Klingsheim 3:40
Third Period: Klingsheim starts down; Klingsheim escape 1:44 (3-0); Wilson takedown (3-2); Advantage time Klingsheim 3:07 (4-2)

Semifinal: #1 Andrew Long (ISU) wins by fall over #4 David Klingsheim (NU), 4:36
First Period: Long takedown 1:27 (2-0); Klingsheim escape :44 (2-1); Advantage time Long :42
Second Period: Long starts down; Long reversal 1:16 (4-1); Long fall 4:36

Consolation Final: #3 Chris Notte (OSU) wins by decision over #4 David Klingsheim (NU), 6-4
First Period: No scoring
Second Period: Notte starts down; Notte escape 1:49 (1-0); Klingsheim takedown :37 (1-2); Notte escape :17 (2-2); Advantage time Klingsheim :30
Third Period: Klingsheim starts down; Notte near fall :54 (5-2); Klingsheim escape :53 (5-3); Unsportsmanlike penalty on Notte and Klingsheim :03 (6-4); Advantage time Notte :39

133 Pounds
First Round: #5 Nathan McCormick (MU) wins by decision over #4 C.J. Napier (NU), 3-1 (OT)
First Period: No scoring
Second Period: McCormick starts down; McCormick escape 1:40 (0-1); Stall warning Napier 0:49; Advantage time Napier 0:20
Third Period: Napier starts down; Napier escape 1:56 (1-1)
SV1: No scoring
TB1: Napier starts down; No scoring
TB2: McCormick starts down; McCormick reversal 0:02 (3-1)

Consolation Semifinal: #3 Kendric Maple (OU) wins by decision over #4 C.J. Napier (NU), 4-2
First Period: Maple takedown 2:53 (2-0); Napier escape 1:25 (2-1); Advantage time Maple 1:28
Second Period: Maple starts down; Maple escape 1:56 (3-1); Advantage time Maple 1:24
Third Period: Neutral start; Technical violation Maple - fleeing the mat 0:36 (3-2); Advantage time Maple 1:24 (4-2)

141 Pounds
First Round: #5 Dalton Jensen (ISU) wins by major decision over #4 Mike Koehnlein (NU), 11-2
First Period: Jensen takedown 1:53 (0-2); Advantage time Jensen 1:52
Second Period: Jensen starts down; Jensen reversal 1:47 (0-4); Jensen near fall :54 (0-7); Jensen near fall (0-10); Advantage time Jensen 3:26
Third Period: Neutral start; Koehnlein takedown :30 (2-10); Advantage time Jensen 2:46 (2-11)

Consolation Semifinal: #3 Todd Schavrien (MU) wins by decision over #4 Mike Koehnlein (NU), 14-6
First Period: Koehnlein takedown 2:34 (0-2); Schavrien reversal 2:17 (2-2); Schavrien two-point near fall 2:17 (4-2); Koehnlein reversal 2:05 (4-4); Schavrien escape 1:34 (5-4); Schavrien takedown 1:10 (7-4)
Second Period: Koehnlein starts down; Koehnlein escape (7-5); Schavrien takedown :06 (9-5); Advantage time Schavrien 2:09
Final Period: Schavrien starts down; Schavrien reversal 1:26 (11-5); Koehnlein escape 1:20 (11-6); Schavrien takedown :39 (13-6); Advantage time Schavrien 2:21

149 Pounds
First Round: #4 Nicholas Hucke (MU) wins by fall over #5 Dustin Payne (NU), 4:27
First Period: Hucke takedown 1:50 (2-0); Payne escape 2:21 (2-1); Hucke takedown 1:17 (4-1); Hucke two-point nearfall 0:49 (6-1); Payne escape 0:39 (6-2); Advantage time Hucke 1:07
Second Period: Hucke starts down; Hucke reversal 0:57 (8-2); Hucke fall 0:33

Consolation Semifinal: #3 Luke Silver (OSU) wins by fall over #5 Dustin Payne (NU), 1:00
First Period: Silver takedown 2:14 (2-0); Silver fall 2:00

157 Pounds
First Round: #5 Tyler Koehn (NU) wins by major decision over #4 Patrick Wright (MU), 11-2
First Period: Koehn takedown :16 (0-2); Koehn near fall :00 (0-5); Advantage time Koehn :16
Second Period: Wright starts down; Wright escape 1:50 (1-5); Koehn takedown :45 (1-7); Advantage time Koehn 1:10
Third Period: Koehn starts down; Koehn escape 1:28 (1-8); Koehn takedown 1:09 (1-10); Wright escape :39 (2-10); Advantage time Koehn 1:08 (2-11)

Semifinal: #1 Shane Vernon (OU) wins by decision over #5 Tyler Koehn (NU), 4-1
First Period: Vernon takedown :48 (2-0); Koehn escape :09 (2-1); Advantage time Vernon :39
Second Period: Vernon starts down; Vernon escapes 1:53 (3-1); Advantage time Vernon :33
Third Period: Koehn starts down; No scoring; Advantage time Vernon 2:33 (4-1)

Consolation Final: #2 Andrew Sorenson (ISU) wins by decision over #5 Tyler Koehn (NU), 2-1
First Period: Stall warning Koehn 0:30; No scoring
Second Period: Sorenson starts down; Sorenson escape 1:56 (1-0); Advantage time Koehn 0:04
Third Period: Koehn starts down; Stall warning Sorenson 1:10; Koehn escape 0:26 (1-1); Advantage time Sorenson 1:27 (2-1)

165 Pounds
First Round: #4 Tyler Caldwell (OU) wins by decision over #5 James Nakashima (NU), 5-0
First Period: No scoring
Second Period: Caldwell starts down; Caldwell escape 1:45 (1-0); Advantage time Nakashima 0:15
Third Period: Nakashima starts down; Caldwell three-poin near fall 1:08 (4-0); Advantage time Caldwell 1:44 (5-0)

Consolation Semifinal: #3 Alex Meade (OSU) wins by decision over #5 James Nakashima (NU), 11-4
First Period: Meade takedown 2:28 (2-0); Nakashima escape 1:50 (2-1); Meade takedown 0:56 (4-1); Nakashima escape 0:50 (4-2); Meade takedown 0:20 (6-2); Advantage time Meade 1:06
Second Period: Meade starts down; Meade escape 1:54 (7-2); Technical violation Nakashima - fleeing the mat (8-2); Advantage time Meade 0:59
Third Period: Nakashima starts down; Nakashima escape 1:49 (8-3); Mead takedown 1:39 (10-3); Nakashima escape 1:30 (10-4); Stall warning Nakashima 0:20; Advantage time Meade 1:19 (11-4)

174 Pounds
Semifinal: #1 Stephen Dwyer (NU) wins by decision over #4 Duke Burk (ISU), 2-1
First Round: No scoring
Second Round: Dwyer starts down; Dwyer escape 1:56 (1-0); Burk stalling :28 (2-0); Advantage time Burk :5
Third Round: Burk starts down: Burk escape 1:15 (2-1); Advantage time Dwyer :40

Final: #1 Stephen Dwyer (NU) wins by decision over #2 Mike Benefiel (OSU), 9-5
First Period: Dwyer takedown 2:28 (2-0); Benefiel escape 1:34 (2-1); Dwyer takedown 0:56 (4-1); Advantage time Dwyer 1:49
Second Period: Dwyer starts down; Dwyer escape 1:43 (5-1); Advantage time Dwyer 1:32
Third Period: Benefiel starts down; Benefiel escape 1:52 (5-2); Benefiel takedown 1:26 (5-4); Dwyer escape 1:16 (6-4); Dwyer takedown 0:47 (8-4); Benefiel escape 0:31 (8-5); Advantage time Dwyer 1:44 (9-5)

184 Pounds
First Round: #4 Josh Ihnen (NU) wins by decision over #5 Erich Schmidtke (OU), 8-3
First Period: Schmidtke takedown 2:44 (0-2); Ihnen escape 2:00 (1-2); Ihnen takedown 1:39 (3-2); Advantage time Ihnen 0:53
Second Period: Ihnen starts down; Ihnen reversal 1:38 (5-2); Stall warning Schmidtke (0:53); Advantage time Ihnen 2:09
Third Period: Neutral start; Ihnen takedown 1:38 (7-2); Schmidtke escape 1:10 (7-3); Advantage time Ihnen 2:37 (8-3)

Semifinal: #1 Max Askren (MU) wins by decision over #4 Josh Ihnen (NU), 2-1
First Round: No scoring
Second Round: Askren starts down; Askren escape 1:54 (1-0); Advantage time Ihnen :06
Third Round: Ihnen starts down; Ihnen escape :26 (1-1); Advantage time Askren 1:23 (2-1)

Consolation Final: #4 Josh Ihnen (NU) wins by decision over #5 Erich Schmidtke (OU), 4-0
First Period: Ihnen takedown 2:01 (2-0); Advantage time Ihnen 1:59
Second Period: Ihnen starts down; Advantage 0:00
Third Period: Neutral start; Ihnen takedown :10 (4-0); Advantage time Ihnen :09

197 Pounds
Semifinal: #2 Craig Brester (NU) wins by decision over  #3 Eric Lapotsky (OU), 6-1
First Period: Brester takedown 0:11 (2-0); Advantage time Brester 0:11
Second Period: Lapotsky starts down; No scoring; Advantage time Brester 2:11
Third Period: Brester starts down; Brester escape 1:45 (3-0); Brester takedown 1:21 (5-0); Lapotsky escape 1:00 ( 5-1); Advantage time Brester 2:15 (6-1)

Final: #1 Jake Varner (ISU) wins by decision over #2 Craig Brester (NU), 5-2
First Period: No scoring
Second Period: Brester starts down; Brester escape 1:16 (0-1); Varner takedwown 0:49 (2-1); Brester escape 0:23 (2-2); Advantage time Varner 1:09
Third Period: Varner starts down; Varner escape 0:55 (3-2); Varner takedown 0:02 (5-2)

Heavyweight
First Round: #4 Tucker Lane (NU) wins by decision over #5 Nathan Fernandez (OU), 3-1 (OT)
First Period: No scoring
Second Period: Fernandez starts down; Fernandez escape 1:42 (0-1); Advantage time Lane 0:19
Third Period: Lane starts down; Lane escape 1:56 (1-1)
SV1: Lane takedown 0:27 (3-1)

Semifinal: #1 Jared Rosholt (OSU) wins by decision over #4 Tucker Lane (NU), 5-3
First Period: No scoring
Second Period: Lane starts down; Lane escape 1:59 (0-1); Rosholt takedown :56 (2-1); Advantage time Rosholt :57
Third Period: Rosholt starts down; Rosholt escape 1:51 (3-1); Lane stall (4-1) Lane takedown :42 (4-3); Rosholt escape :39 (5-3); Advantage time Rosholt :38

Consolation Final: #4 Tucker Lane (NU) wins by decision over #5 Nathan Fernandez (OU), 3-1
First Period: No scoring
Second Period: Rosholt starts down; Rosholt escape 1:50 (1-0); Advantage time Zabriskie 0:10
Third Period: Zabriskie starts down; Zabriskie escape 1:50 (1-1)
SV1: No scoring
TB1: Zabriskie starts down; No scoring
Rosholt starts down; No scoring
SV2: Zabriskie takedown 0:19 (3-1)